The E-Sylum: Volume 10, Number 8, February 25, 2007, Article 26
THE OED ON JAIL VS GAOL VS GOAL
David Fanning writes: "Kerry Rodgers commented on the "goal" versus
"gaol" question in the February 12 E-Sylum. What he posted, however,
doesn't address the comments I had previously posted.
"First, he seems to be confusing the OED (Oxford English Dictionary)
with the Oxford Dictionary of English (he says that "the OED does know"
the answer to this question, but then cites the Oxford Dictionary of
English). The latter is a single-volume reference, whereas the OED
runs to 20 volumes.
"Rodgers states that in the 13 definitions of "goal" he finds, none
suggests anything to do with incarceration. That's as may be, but
the OED does suggest a link. In the edition of the OED I am using,
there is an entry following the primary one for "goal" which says
to "see JAIL, JAILER." Upon doing so, one finds the discussion of
goal/gaol I had quoted, which states clearly that it is uncertain
whether "goal" was ever an acceptable substitute for "gaol" or
simply a misspelling.
"That this question isn't addressed in the later Oxford Dictionary
of English doesn't, to my mind, suggest that the question no longer
exists, but rather that it is too arcane a matter for a one-volume
dictionary to bother with. The OED specifically mentions "goal" as
forms 7-8 of "gaol." This is all a pretty minor point, but the
posting by Rodgers seems to imply that I am misreading my OED, so
I felt I had to make a defense."